Don't Call Me Klingon!
by Zaphra Ti'Gan
Summary: A look back at B'Elanna's childhood


Disclaimer:   
  
Paramount is the "ALL MIGHTY" keeper of Trek! And the Carpenters own the song title. So the only thing I own is the story.  
  
And that is Mine, all MINE!!! insert crazy laugh here.  
  
I would love feedback on it and I don't care if I'm 90 if I get it!  
You can reach me at: Zaphirah113@hotmail.com   
  
Please note: This story is mine! Feel free to post it anywhere you'd like but I would like to know if you decide to.  
Petra  
  
Don't call me Klingon!  
  
By Petra  
  
B'Elanna never knew what happened. One day he was there and the next he wasn't. When the yelling had stopped she was sure it was over and everything would go back to normal but it didn't. The day her daddy left was the day her world fell around her. Now nothing would stop her from being tormented by the other kids. The resentment that was felt towards B'Elanna and her mother would have no safe guards. Never again could B'Elanna run to his comforting arms that held her so protectively. Her daddy was gone.  
  
"B'Elanna is such a show off." Teal whispered to the rest of the small group standing in an enclosed circle.  
  
"Oh I know." Jayda agreed "She doesn't have any friends and she never will. I don't see why she even tries."  
  
"She looks so ugly with those ridges on her forehead." Another girl stated  
  
"Look its Bobby. Come on, I'll bet he'll tell her where to go." With that the group separated to watch the proceedings.  
  
B'Elanna flew down the field with her hover ball. Out of all the kids in the small colony B'Elanna was probably the best pre squares player there. She was also the ugliest and she knew it. When she saw Bobby walking towards her B'Elanna kept on going hoping he wouldn't bother her. That wasn't going to happen though. By the look on his face she knew he wasn't going away until he had thoroughly humiliated her. Maybe if she just kept running...maybe he'd leave her alone. Maybe...  
  
"Hello, Ms. Turtle-head!" Bobby called when she was in hearing range.  
  
"I hope your not trying to impress anyone today. No one wants to be your friend you know. Don't waste your energy trying to have something you can't and just go home."  
  
B'Elanna stopped in her tracks at the last part of his speech. Tears stung her eyes but she wasn't going to cry. By now the other kids were standing around her. Not close enough to be threatening, just enough to show her who they stood with. Muscles twitched in anticipation of what was to come but she was not going to fight. Not yet anyway.  
  
Bobby must have seen the tears in her eyes "Oh look, the Klingon's going to cry. I didn't think Klingons weren't supposed to cry. I thought..." The last straw had been pulled. B'Elanna rushed at him with all her might right into his stomach and sent him flying. Then, before anything else could happen, ran home and sobbed on her bed until her mother told her another stupid Klingon story.  
  
"And then Kaless and..." A deep sob escaped B'Elanna, interrupting her mother's tale of Kaless. "B'Elanna's mother questioned, looking upon her daughter.  
  
"Go away!" B'Elanna screamed "Leave me alone!"  
  
"B'Elanna!"  
  
"I won't have it. Not one more word! I hate you!"  
  
Her mother looked at her daughter in shock.  
  
"You did this to me!" B'Elanna cried pointing to her ridged forehead. "You made Daddy go away." The words were ragged and broken. Tears streamed down her cheeks in rage and grief.  
  
"I am not a Klingon! I am not even human! I'm a freak! A freak and the one person in all the world who loved me for who I am left because of you. You pushed him away so much he couldn't stand to be near me because I look Klingon."  
  
"You are Klingon." Her mother said to her. You must be strong..."  
  
"Well I'm not. How can I be? I never have a chance to show strength. Or friendship. I don't see why I go to school. Why must I always try to do my best when no one cares? Why do I try to do anything when no one cares about me?"  
  
"I do care!"  
  
The words and feelings were there and deep in her heart B'Elanna knew them to be true but still she refused them. Refused to believe what was said was true when, for so many years she had believed otherwise.  
  
"Just go away. Please, just go."  
  
With no more encouragement B'Elanna was left in solitude. Left alone in her self-worthlessness and pity to cry for a past she would never have and a future she would never live. A future where she was accepted as an equal and treated like a friend.  
  
18 years later  
  
B'Elanna, chief engineer of the Federation Starship Voyager, sat at her office desk studying the reports from the last complete Warp core diagnostic. She didn't notice when her door opened to reveal the ships Helmsman, Tom Paris, until he addressed his presence.  
  
"'Lanna, you ready?" He asked walking towards her.  
  
Startled B'Elanna looked up from her PADD with a start.  
  
"What? Oh, yeah. Just give me a minute."  
  
Tom came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her small but lethal frame.  
  
"You can finish that later." He whispered in her hair. "Your shift ended an hour ago. Come on, Harry and Jenny are waiting for us." To emphasize his point Tom turned her chair around until she was facing him and gently kissed her.  
  
"Well, maybe I am a little hungry." She admitted before she returned the kiss, pressing closer than before. "But do Harry and Jenny really have to come?"  
  
Tom laughed as he lead her out of engineering. 


End file.
